So, define your goals! Understand how LinkedIn works! Your presence and participation on this social network must have a purpose: to assist you in achieving your objectives.
Whether it's gaining clients, seeking a job, creating or improving your personal brand on LinkedIn, or launching a project, the first step is to think about what you want to achieve and what’s your scope on this platform. You might also establish who exactly you are looking for. Is it professionals in your industry? Is it potential employers? Or even employees? Partners? Or maybe even influencers or entrepreneurs that you admire.
Once you've decided, this will guide your LinkedIn activity because now, it’s time to actually focus on building your relationships with them. Engage with their content, comment on their posts, share your own insights and experiences, even send them a private message. Although you might not know each other personally, don’t shy away from communicating with these people. They are looking to build connections as well!
An excellent LinkedIn network has both number and quality: numerous contacts, yet high quality. That is to say, they are in accordance with your aims (as previously stated) and bring value to you professionally (and you to them, since reciprocity is the basis of professional relationships, also on LinkedIn).
Truth be told, it is pointless to go "gathering" contacts if there are no mutual interests afterward and if what you publish on LinkedIn does not benefit others or them. Again, it’s not just about having a high number of followers or connections.
I've met professionals who are considering unsubscribing from LinkedIn just because they are dissatisfied with the social network. They anticipated discovering more valuable information and more utility in it, but all they've seen is content that doesn't interest them. Without a doubt, this is due to the fact that they are expanding their LinkedIn network with professionals that do not provide anything important to them.
Your LinkedIn network is built through the invitations to connect that you make to other users, as well as the invitations that you receive and accept from other users. Be proactive and invite others to engage with you by sending them messages! However, you shouldn't just do it without thinking. Send them, once again, to the connections that you believe have the potential to add to the worth of your professional life.
At the same time, make sure you find the right contacts. I'm not sure whether you've heard of LinkedIn's SSI (Social Selling Index). This social network awards you a "note" ranging from 0 to 100 for your participation. It is determined by four elements, one of which is your capacity to identify the correct contacts and people who can assist you in achieving your objectives.
- You can utilize LinkedIn's sophisticated search tools, such as the search employing filters.
- You may also employ face-to-face networking by attending conferences, congresses, fairs, exhibits, courses, and so on, where you will undoubtedly meet intriguing individuals on a professional level. Choose the ones who are most useful to you, discover them on LinkedIn, and invite them to connect.
- Sign up for LinkedIn groups that interest you as well. They contain valuable professionals.
- Always personalize your invitations to connect. Your LinkedIn must connect invites that are consistently tailored.
The other method for expanding your professional network on LinkedIn is by accepting connection requests sent to you by other users. But remember! In your LinkedIn network, there is the right of admission.
You shouldn't just take anyone's word for it! You should go ahead and accept those that are in accordance with the goals that you have established for yourself on LinkedIn (yes, once again, I say this because it is essential). The rest of it is up to you to reject.
Do not forget that you have the right to admit people into your LinkedIn network. You are completely free and in charge of deciding whether or not to accept invitations that are sent to you. This obviously applies to the other people that use this social network. So if you don't receive an invitation or if someone doesn't accept your invitation, do not get angry about it.
But there are no criteria for accepting invitations. LinkedIn is a place to connect with people, regardless of their positions or interests. Unless that profile has no activity, no profile photo, and you might find this sketchy, there is no cookie-cutter recipe for connecting with others on LinkedIn. You are the only one who can judge how you want to increase your LinkedIn connections.
When you use LinkedIn, you provide an image of yourself to possible future connections. So go ahead and improve your network through LinkedIn! You never know who you’re going to meet – it might just be your next investor!
